Kampala, Uganda: The Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) has dismissed as false and misleading recent allegations by opposition leaders and family members of Rtd. Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, suggesting that the former FDC leader is being subjected to inhumane treatment at Luzira Upper Maximum Security Prison.
In a press release issued on June 20, 2025, the Prisons Spokesperson, Senior Commissioner Frank Baine Mayanja, described the claims, including allegations that bed bugs are being used as a torture tool, as “grossly false” and contradictory.
“The claim that the facility is infested with bed bugs used as a torture tool against him is grossly false. Also, the assertion that he shares a ward with 15 others and yet in permanent isolation is contradictory,” Baine emphasized.
The Prisons Spokesperson urged the public to disregard what he termed “misinformation and disinformation” being peddled about Luzira prison, Uganda’s top security correctional facility.
The Prisons Service emphasized its commitment to operating within the laws of Uganda and the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, also known as the Nelson Mandela Rules.
“UPS reaffirms its position as a professional government agency mandated to manage prisoners in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Uganda and Nelson Mandela Rules,” Baine wrote.
Dr. Kizza Besigye, a four-time presidential contender and one of President Museveni’s fiercest critics, is currently on remand at Luzira following his recent arrest linked to a series of civil disobedience campaigns under the People’s Front for Transition.
The veteran opposition politician’s legal team and family have in recent days raised alarm over what they describe as degrading prison conditions and restricted access to medical care.
The Prisons Service, however, maintained on Friday that all inmates, including high-profile detainees, are treated in accordance with national and international standards.
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